Everybody has heard, and some are worried, about the fact that food sources are running low on an increasingly populated planet. Many experts believe that future beef products will become scarce, and therefore a new source of protein must be established in order to prevent mass starvation in the future world. And this is where protein from insects and spiders comes into the picture. However, much of the world’s population consumes insects and spiders regularly. But for Americans, the transition from fast-food beef to fast-food cricket-sandwiches will be a tough one. As for the regions of the world where bug-consumption is the norm, many Americans would be surprised, and probably appalled by what types of creepy crawlies pass for food.
If you think that eating crickets and grasshoppers is revolting, then be happy that you don’t live in Cambodia where many citizens eat tarantulas with enthusiasm. These hairy arachnids are prepared by being fried in oil, salt and sugar, and occasionally garlic. The tarantulas are fried until they are crisp, and then they are sold on the streets of Cambodia to locals and brave tourists. The fried tarantulas are eaten whole. Their legs are crunchy, but their fat abdomens are gooey–gross! Venezuelans also consume tarantulas, only the tarantulas that they choose to consume happen to be the largest arachnids in the world. These arachnids are known as Goliath-bird eating tarantulas. These tarantulas can grow to the size of a dinner plate. In Venezuela these tarantula meals are considered a delicacy, and they reportedly taste like nutty, and crab-like.
Many citizens of Vietnam, Thailand and China prefer to eat scorpions on occasion. Scorpions are typically sold as a street food in these countries. These scorpions are skewered alive and then roasted over an open fire, after that they are deep fried in oil. After these scorpions are prepared and consumed they reportedly taste like shrimp in its shell. So after hearing about a few of these insect-delicacies from around the world, maybe cricket-based protein powder does not sound as bad to you now.
Would you consider eating a fried tarantula for a particular price, or would you eat one for no money at all? If you would require a payment, how much money would it take to get you to eat a tarantula?